Getting the most out of supervision

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Getting the most out of supervision

• Professor Sue Clegg

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Possible roles

• Director (determining topic and providing ideas)
• Advisor (helping solve problems and suggesting
  alternatives
• Freedom giver (authorises student to take
  decisions)
• Teacher (of research techniques)
• Guide (suggesting timetable for writing, feedback
  etc)

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Possible roles

• Critic (of design, chapters etc)
• Supporter (gives encouragement)
• Friend (extends to non-academic aspects of
  student's life)
• Manager (checks progress, plans work)
• Examiner (progress reports, mock viva)
• Others you can think of .........

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Supervisors structuring the research tutorial

• Questioning about progress, results,
  interpretation
• Listening - including going beyond the
  information given
• Responding - including decision taking
• Explaining - including demonstration and
  presentation of arguments

5
Common problems

• Poor planning and management of the project
• Time pressures
• Methodological difficulties
• Writing up
• Isolation
• Personal problems outside the research
• Others you can think of?

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Warning indicators

• Procrastination on writing
• Intellectualizing practical problems
• Blaming others for shortcomings
• Failing to integrate earlier work
• Postponing supervision
• Making excuses for unfinished work
• Focusing on next stage not current stage

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Warning indicators

• Frequent changes of method / topic
• Filling time with other things (including in some
  circumstances conferences, writing other papers)
• Resisting advise or criticism
• Others you recognise in yourself (mine is
  definitely the urge to clean!!!)

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What strategies have you developed to get the
best out of supervision?

• Share strategies in groups
• Think about your own preferences
• How to be proactive about your needs
• Look at the list of warning signs do you
  recognise any - share ideas about how to get
  unstuck/get support
• Supervision not the only source of support